Cruz, You Lose… Twice

Ugh. Ted Cruz. A political opportunist, afraid to stick to his proverbial guns.

Route 12 or OBX?

We're of the OBX variety, as our Jeep windows proudly state. That said, here is a fantastic article about Route 12 and its meaning to residents who travel it daily. Gives a new perspective to a place we love. Also, we learned that our patch of road to Carolla and then Carova is relatively new. Does that make us pioneers?

Link here for an enjoyable read…

D♥D Would Delight In This...

We're home! Just in time to celebrate Dad's birthday by finding or baking (later on) the perfect chocolate cake… and by remembering all the loving and wonderful times - the memories he created with us that remain to be cherished. An awesome legacy. He'd love, love what we arrived home to. After all, he's responsible for my adoration of outdoor gardening…

"Nick, Nick, we have a pumpkin!" exclaimed Joe after checking the lake estate upon our arrival, yesterday. :-)

So, here's our little pumpkin. Better late than never. And growing as a result of our withering pumpkins tossed into the woods, last year. But those dilapidated fruits carried this year's seeds and are now bearing fruit. Or are punkins veggies? Take your pick and celebrate with us. All occasions great and small. Do you see this, Dad?

Yes, my Dad is smiling. He's always smiling on us. Still missing him, though I feel his constant presence. Always loving him beyond words. ♥

A Painted Sky… Where Clouds Are Hung For The Poet's Eye… Neil Diamond 'n' Jonathan

Funny thing about "Be" and all the music from "Jonathann Livingston Seagull"…. it just plays in my head, no CD necessary. With each beach scene, there it is. It doesn't even take a gull. Color me OBX inspired.

But then…

That's a pick-up truck hidden by the huge spray of water!

All clouds are not created equal. Consider today's version. Dark. Ominous. Filled with moisture that is coming down in buckets and flooding the road in front of our condo and the fountain pond behind it.

Our steps to the pond are under water!

Yep, the rains came, after twelve incredibly beautiful and consecutive beach days. Let's hope tomorrow brings another painted sky of our dreams.

Round-up Three 'n' Riding a Wild Corolla Mustang

We drove down the beach to Carova, late yesterday afternoon. Yep, we took the challenge of a very rutty dune, in order to cross over to the residential area. Mr. Ed et al had not made an appearance (that we saw) on the beach. Enough is enough, already. We needed an equine fix. Besides, I thought to introduce you to some new and interesting faces. How 'bout a horseback-riding egret? A common sight, the birds often wait patiently before climbing aboard to scour a horse's back for bugs. Sounds like a win-win, to me.

Not much has changed in Carova, (link) since my 2010 post, introducing y'all to this unique place. Six years ago, already. Yes, yes, there are boatloads more of the mega-houses, mostly multiple rentals for summer folk. But the real beachies? Their houses remain modest and beaten by winds, sand and storms. Inhabitants wouldn't have it any other way.

Water is all over the place. Canals offer kayaking. Freshwater lakes and underground springs afford the equines their sustenance. 

Still, only the firehouse provides help if needed and a few mandatory groceries, such as milk and eggs. Kudos to the fire and rescue people.

Roadways are sandy, of course. Driving slowly is mandatory. Ahem. Watch for horses and be ready to capture through-the-windshield moments.

Imagine awakening to this view, every morning…

Wondering if Mr. Ed is ticketed for getting too close to humans? Haha. Sometimes, it's tough to stay fifty feet away. G-d, they're gorgeous creatures.

Giving Thanks for such gifts.

Two-Zu Post… She Clearly Did Not "Lie To Me"

Zu recommended the currently-on-Netflix TV series "Lie To Me," circa 2009-2011. Three complete seasons take a long while to watch and are worth one's time, we think. We've watched two complete seasons, thus far. An episode in the morning and one and night have been our TV fare, before and after enjoying long OBX beach days. It takes a bit to get into the show, but stick with it. Cal Lightman, played by British Tim Roth, will hold your attention, as he reads faces to determine what someone really means when they lie… or not. In doing so, he helps the FBI solve crimes. We promise, you'll never just casually look at eyes or facial expressions, again. Watch to see the many appearances-by-photos of politicians and celebrities you know well. No spoilers here. A great supporting cast, as well.

And while I'm on the topic of (link) Zu, please visit her to see how this amazing leather project came about. She's always thinking creatively. Thing is, she executes her thoughts in pro style, as demonstrated by her gorgeous handmade tote and traveler's notebook. Yes, my talented friend is something else.

Umbrella Daze

New York and its upsetting (to say the least) issues seem like a world away, as we enjoy the rest of our OBX vacation. Thankfully, all twenty-nine innocent souls caught in the Village explosion have been released from the hospital and shall be okay. Well, physically okay. I'm sure the mental anguish will continue. We pray.

Meanwhile, here in southern parts, life seems simple and we give thanks for beautiful days, as we maintain our umbrella daze.

Mambo thinks he's a pound puppy. A sand-lovin' one.

I continue my attempts at Child-At-♥ Art.

Throwback(s)

This is a throwback shot from last week, taken by Joe et iPhone. Thanks, Honey.

But the real throwback is the old, old sundress. I've lost track of exactly what birthday it is celebrating. It's at least Number 15. G-d only knows how many times it's been worn and washed. Hmmm, I'm sayin' it's a keeper.

This post is for Cousin Khrista ♡. I hope she still has her orange sundress...

Creatures of the Deep

iPhone photo by Joe

Look at what greeted us, as we crossed over to the drive-on beach, yesterday. Ugh. There was a time - when I was about five years old and in my Dad's ♡ arms , "jumping" waves (my earliest memory) - that I loved the ocean. Being in the ocean, that is. It was great through my teens, too, when big-wave days at Jones Beach were coveted. Then came "Jaws" and all of its terror. Accompanying the movie was the realization that under the sea - and my feet - lurked the potential for… well, you know. Still, I adore the ocean from a vantage point on the sand. I've digressed. Back to yesterday and this monster sting ray. My thoughts went to Steve Irwin and his tragic death. Didn't you just love that guy? I did. Imagine this terrorist alive, lurking under the sand, as is their custom. The antidote is to shuffle one's way into the waves, just in case a ray is feeding in the shallow water. But this freaky sight didn't define the whole day…

It was a windy and cool one, "cool" being seventy-nine degrees. Dark and light clouds mingled in an interesting sky. The water was rough. Our stretch of beach past many houses and in between surf and dunes afforded us near isolation… not even the few families we've become accustomed to were there. It was refreshing to be out from under an umbrella. No sun is just fine, on occasion.

Besides, the wind screen needed some air.

iPhone photo by Joe

And then came today. Perfection. Look at that sky! Sun. Seventy-nine degrees, again. Cool and breezy. We did share our space with a few others, but everyone maintains a distance. After all, don't we all wish for the secluded beaches of our dreams? Almost.

This post is in memory of Steve Irwin.

Child-At-♥ Art??

Be nice! The GrandLoves will surely ♥! And it was fun, after the sand…
Just not quite as delicious as the real one...

OBX Inspired

Dune Buggy Days

Now, THIS looks like fun! They are rentals and available beyond the beach.

Round-up Two with Behaviors of our Wild Horses of Corolla

It appeared to be a huge band of over a dozen mustangs that we saw as we left the beach, yesterday. Ah, but at second glance, we noticed widening segregation…

Look again to see White-Socks Blackie, a favorite stallion, standing in between his huge harem and the smaller group to his right. The big male in that band protected three mares.

Back to White-Socks. You've met him before, along with my other favorite, Flaxen, with the white-blonde mane and tale. Now, I'm pretty sure that Flaxen is the offspring of parents who love to nuzzle.

We parked the proper distance from the horses and enjoyed a great photo op. White-Socks never stopped watching his potential adversary. He's got a lot of responsibility on his shoulders - that is one huge harem he's accountable for. And you'll notice that size means nothing, when it comes to male prowess.

Also worth a mention is my conversation had with a Corolla Horse Fund rep who made sure that curious tourists didn't approach any of the equines. It was good to see him and he happily answered a few of my questions. (1) It's true that the herd is down in number to the low eighties. What can we do? Just support the fund, if possible. (2) He was not a hundred percent sure of this year's foal count, but knew that one baby, separated from momma, drowned and another was saved from drowning. They are endangered in more ways than one. (3) Tourists pose a huge problem and threaten the herd almost daily, in season. Many think it's cute to feed them, but in reality, it is deadly. One renter left watermelon rinds out for the horses to find. A foal did just that, consumed them and died, shortly thereafter. Fresh water, sea oats and dune grasses do not equal our veggies. Colic and death… the results of human "kindness." They are looking strong and healthy, without our dietary help...

The kindest thing we can do is to respect the ground rules that protect the herd. It's true that we are all in awe and mean well. But love from a distance is our best gift to Mr. Ed et al.

Yesterday - How Did You Fly?

Mr. Ed et al have not visited us on the beach for two days. It has been cooler. Perfect for beach dreamin'. Yep, all the way down to the high seventies-eighty, seaside, with amazing breezes, no flies and brilliant sunshine. These factors allow the mustangs to stay in the marshlands on the other side of the dunes, where they can graze and also find the fresh water needed to survive. We didn't drive into their territory. We know they'll visit again, when ready. Sooooo, NIK and I found other themes on the beach. 

Flight is something special, here on the OBX. You know - Kitty Hawk and the Wright brothers. And then there are the celebratory statues of flying mustangs. I borrowed this picture of a winged horse, as our local representation is not quite as artistic. Read a little of their story, here. This brings me to yesterday and the query, "How do you fly?"

Like a pelican…

Or, a seagull…

Or, a contraption…

Or, maybe not at all, preferring to preserve your energy and observe the scenery…

Giving thanks for all beautiful observations, here on sandy shores.

Tide's out - we're off! That's all she wrote, for today...

OBX Inspired

That's right, I brought my watercolors along. I'm hooked!

This one is for someone special whom we met during our overnight stay in Exmore.

Her name is Ruthie and we're pleased to have crossed paths with her; she helped us out.

It was fun to create with a recipient in mind, rather than just randomly.

Paying it forward...

There's No Judging Here!

Edy's pure strawberry, packed down to the tip of the cone.

Ask me if I ate the whole thing...

Please Take Time for Mr. T.I.C.H.B.A.N.D.

Pal Andy's Grandad participated in a wonderful event that included interviews of past employees of THE OBSERVER, a Hastings, UK, local newspaper. Mr. T. began working for what sounds to have been a phenomenal employer in 1935. Now in his nineties, one can see/hear how he would have been an equally phenomenal employee. What an elegant man, who along with other interesting workers shares human interest stories that are clearly food for thought. Consider the precarious nature of many jobs, today, with scores of retailers closing and thousands of workers finding themselves on unemployment lines. Yes, they were the good old days, when a handshake and one's word constituted security of a lost variety.

A gazillion thanks to Andy for sharing the link and allowing me to post it, as well. Please take ten minutes to watch. Would you agree that the past and present need to securely connect for future solutions? 

Here's to Grandad, forever a rock star! 

So, You Think They're Tame?

We like this spot, where just one looming structure remains in the dunes. It's fun to park ourselves and Mambo and hope that a few horses will appear on the tops of sandy mounds before bounding onto the beach.

It's easy to be fooled into thinking the gorgeous equines of Corolla are tame. Suffice it to say that they are well accustomed to humans. Their limited stretch of land on which to graze and roam now has eight hundred mansion-sized "homes" on it. Not too long ago, there was the occasional structure, as in the above pic. But now? Ugh. The mini-hotels, capable of housing multiple families in each, are endless. The problem for Mr. Ed and his pals exists in the fact that seventy percent of the small land tract is owned privately and carries the potential for much more building. The horses' advocates are trying to buy more of that land to protect the herd, but the chances of that happening are likely slim to none. Please read (link) the Corolla Wild Horse Fund Newsletter 2016, for interesting, albeit sometimes saddening, facts. But I digress…

Scenes such as this are not uncommon. Coexistence at its finest. What you don't see here is one of the horses returning to check the bucket! Too funny! But the serious fishermen just gently shooed our equines away. They obliged.

Later on, as we left the beach, we were nudged back to reality. A happy couple, stallion and mare, were challenged by a second stallion. An intruder. A chase and lots of whinnying followed, as the culprit was chased away. In the past, we've seen rearing and fighting amongst males protecting their harems and/or mares protecting offspring. Yes. They are wild. I hope the vid opens for you; it was taken through the windshield. We witnessed inherent characteristics. Happily, all survived. But will they survive us? They offer so much inspiration. I continue to learn from them. Just color me… you know.